Elections to 98 local bodies expected in May: SL Elections Secretariat

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 March 2011, 02:50 GMT]
Elections to 64 local bodies postponed due to legal issues and 34 local bodies postponed due to the ongoing Cricket World Cup are expected to be held in May this year, Sri Lanka’s Elections Secretariat sources said without specifying a date. Preliminary steps are being taken to hold elections to local bodies in Jaffna and Ki'linochchi district which were postponed following the rejection of nomination papers submitted by the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) by the Jaffna District Returning Officer.

Local elections to 234 local bodies were held last Thursday. The ruling UPFA of Mahinda Rajapaksa captured power in 205 local bodies.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) that contested under the symbol House of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) captured power in two Urban Councils and 10 Piratheasa Chapais in the North and East.

The main opposition United National Party (UNP) retained power in only in nine local bodies.